Brussels train station blast being treated as terror attack

By Raf Casert, and Lorne Cook

June 20, 2017

Photo: Geert Vanden Wijngaert, STR

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Belgian police stand in front of a police cordon as people are evacuated at the Grand Place square near Central Station in Brussels after a reported explosion on Tuesday, June 20, 2017. Belgian media are reporting that explosion-like noises have been heard at a Brussels train station, prompting the evacuation of a main square. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) less

Belgian police stand in front of a police cordon as people are evacuated at the Grand Place square near Central Station in Brussels after a reported explosion on Tuesday, June 20, 2017. Belgian media are ... more

Photo: Geert Vanden Wijngaert, STR

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Belgian Army soldiers patrol in front of Central Station in Brussels after a reported explosion on Tuesday, June 20, 2017. Belgian media are reporting that explosion-like noises have been heard at a Brussels train station, prompting the evacuation of a main square. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) less

Belgian Army soldiers patrol in front of Central Station in Brussels after a reported explosion on Tuesday, June 20, 2017. Belgian media are reporting that explosion-like noises have been heard at a Brussels ... more

Photo: Geert Vanden Wijngaert, STR

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A Belgian Army soldier stands outside Central Station after a reported explosion in Brussels on Tuesday, June 20, 2017. Belgian media are reporting that explosion-like noises have been heard at a Brussels train station, prompting the evacuation of a main square. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) less

A Belgian Army soldier stands outside Central Station after a reported explosion in Brussels on Tuesday, June 20, 2017. Belgian media are reporting that explosion-like noises have been heard at a Brussels train ... more

Photo: Geert Vanden Wijngaert, STR

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Belgian Army soldiers patrol outside Central Station after a reported explosion in Brussels on Tuesday, June 20, 2017. Belgian media are reporting that explosion-like noises have been heard at a Brussels train station, prompting the evacuation of a main square. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) less

Belgian Army soldiers patrol outside Central Station after a reported explosion in Brussels on Tuesday, June 20, 2017. Belgian media are reporting that explosion-like noises have been heard at a Brussels train ... more

Photo: Geert Vanden Wijngaert, STR

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Belgian police evacuate people at the Grand Place square near Central Station in Brussels after a reported explosion on Tuesday, June 20, 2017. Belgian media are reporting that explosion-like noises have been heard at a Brussels train station, prompting the evacuation of a main square. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) less

Belgian police evacuate people at the Grand Place square near Central Station in Brussels after a reported explosion on Tuesday, June 20, 2017. Belgian media are reporting that explosion-like noises have been ... more

Photo: Geert Vanden Wijngaert, STR

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A police officer walks outside Central Station after a reported explosion in Brussels on Tuesday, June 20, 2017. Belgian media are reporting that explosion-like noises have been heard at a Brussels train station, prompting the evacuation of a main square. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) less

A police officer walks outside Central Station after a reported explosion in Brussels on Tuesday, June 20, 2017. Belgian media are reporting that explosion-like noises have been heard at a Brussels train ... more

Photo: Geert Vanden Wijngaert, STR

Image 7 of 10

A Belgian Army soldier stands outside Central Station after a reported explosion in Brussels on Tuesday, June 20, 2017. Belgian media are reporting that explosion-like noises have been heard at a Brussels train station, prompting the evacuation of a main square. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) less

A Belgian Army soldier stands outside Central Station after a reported explosion in Brussels on Tuesday, June 20, 2017. Belgian media are reporting that explosion-like noises have been heard at a Brussels train ... more

Photo: Geert Vanden Wijngaert, STR

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Police patrol in front of Central Station in Brussels after a reported explosion on Tuesday, June 20, 2017. Belgian media are reporting that explosion-like noises have been heard at a Brussels train station, prompting the evacuation of a main square. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) less

Police patrol in front of Central Station in Brussels after a reported explosion on Tuesday, June 20, 2017. Belgian media are reporting that explosion-like noises have been heard at a Brussels train station, ... more

Photo: Geert Vanden Wijngaert, STR

Image 9 of 10

People stand behind a police tape as they are evacuated at the Grand Place near Central Station in Brussels after a reported explosion on Tuesday, June 20, 2017. Belgian media are reporting that explosion-like noises have been heard at a Brussels train station, prompting the evacuation of a main square. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) less

People stand behind a police tape as they are evacuated at the Grand Place near Central Station in Brussels after a reported explosion on Tuesday, June 20, 2017. Belgian media are reporting that explosion-like ... more

Photo: Geert Vanden Wijngaert, STR

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Belgian Army soldiers patrol near Central Station in Brussels after a reported explosion on Tuesday. Soldiers shot and killed a male suspect at the station.

Belgian Army soldiers patrol near Central Station in Brussels after a reported explosion on Tuesday. Soldiers shot and killed a male suspect at the station.

Photo: Geert Vanden Wijngaert, STR

Brussels train station blast being treated as terror attack

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BRUSSELS - Belgian authorities said they foiled a "terror attack" Tuesday when soldiers shot and killed a suspect after a small explosion at a busy Brussels train station that continued a week of attacks in the capitals of Europe.

Federal prosecutor Eric Van der Sypt said soldiers "neutralized" a male suspect at the Central Station immediately after the explosion there on Tuesday night. The man lay still for several hours while a bomb squad checked whether he was armed with more explosives.

Prosecutor's spokeswoman Ine Van Wymersch confirmed his death early Wednesday and said no other explosives were found on his body. Some Belgian media had reported earlier that the suspect was wearing a bomb belt.

Belgium's Crisis Center, which monitors security threats in the country, said based on initial information, it did not see a need to raise the country's terror threat to the highest level and kept it at the second-highest level.

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Van der Sypt said no one else was injured besides the suspect and the damage from the explosion was limited. The attack, which took place during a rare heat wave in Belgium, came around 8.30 p.m., well after the evening rush hour had dissipated.

Nicolas Van Herreweghen, who works for Belgium's national rail company, said the male suspect was very agitated, yelling about jihadists and then "Allahu akbar" - Arabic for "God is great" - before blowing up something on a baggage trolley. He said the man appeared to be 30 to 35 years of age.

The government agency that owns Belgium's railways was warned by a train driver who saw people running across the rail lines inside the station, spokesman Arnaud Reymann told broadcaster RTL.

National newspaper La Libre Belgique quoted the prosecutor's office as saying the suspect was wearing a backpack and an explosive belt. The information could not be immediately confirmed. Photos on social media showed a small fire in the station.